You could buy a plastic baby bath and use it as a container for the baby items (include a tote bag)

I filled this bag with all-natural products that I found online

AssemblyAbove are some photos of the process in making the baby bath gift basket.Start by using a plastic ice cream container (or whatever container you have that you like)Using a utility knife, remove the top lip of the container(photo above, far left)

Trace the bottom (which is slightly smaller on the container I used) onto a piece of paper and cut out two pieces for the bottom pieceMeasure around the top of the container and cut a piece of fabric in a rectangular shape(multiplied by 1.5 times the width to allow for gathering) Add an inch or two to the top measurement to make sure the plastic container is covered up

Sew the top piece to the bottom piece (photo above, far right)

Casing & DrawstringMake a casing around the circumference of the container and sew it onto the main pieceI placed the casing one inch under the top so there would be a ruffleCut a drawstring (out of ribbon) and insert it into the casingTie a bow

FillingPlace the purchased products contents into the container

I also added 4 matching fabric (and fleece on the other side) 6 x 7 inch fabric wipeswhich I sewed together using two square pieces of fabric (one piece of fabric to match the bag)And I also made a 30 inch, matching blanket too!

Put everything on a piece of cardboard and throw a few duckies or bath toysor a brush and comb set​wrap it up in cellophone wrap, put a bow on it and it is a lovely, handmade, useful gift

FabricIn the photo below, I found a lovely floral fabric in the home decor department(on sale for 50% off = $25 a metre)It is drapery, home decor fabric so it is thickI used a matching pink cotton fabric for the lining

I filled it with specialty, all natural items from France that I ordered online and were pink and roses themed​I made it as a donation for a silent auction at a fundraising galaThe recipient who purchased the bag, loved it!

Beach Baby Tote BagA friend's daughter had a baby and I made a beach baby tote to give as a gift for her first birthdayI picked a lovely pink outer and pretty pattern inner fabric

For the contents inside, I made a hat and hooded beach towel, Added a pail and scoop, sunglasses and a bottle of natural baby sunscreenI was told my friend's daughter uses the bag every day to carry her ​daughter's essentials to daycare

Whatever items you think someone would appreciate while they are recuperatingWhat a thoughtful gift to show how much you care

Photos for inspiration

Use Home Decor fabric and make them reversible

Denim is a sturdy choice of fabric to make the main bagand denim coordinates with all kinds of fabrics, colours and patterns

Two Bags in OneA large bag folded into a smaller bagmakes a great gift!

Large 6 pocket tote bag(great for the gym or as a weekender bag)​See tutorial on this website

Add a bow or tie to your bag in matching, contrasting fabric to the liningNote: use a fabric that can be easily tied and has a nice drape (not a stiff fabric like the main bag)

Fold-down top lunch bagsFabric used is: twill

Themed fabric Tote bags

Pretty, practical and SEW fun to make

]]>Sun, 13 Dec 2015 19:42:28 GMThttp://www.yesimadeitmyself.com/tote-bags/basic-tote-bag-tutorialI enjoy surfing the internet and watching sewing or crafting videos to see whateveryone else is making ...ok, I watch a lot of these videos as there are LOTS of great ideas being shared online

Tote bags can be easy to make and are practical to use for:Carrying your groceries (think of the plastic bags you will be saving from the landfill)Toting your books to and from the library or to your bookclub meetingA customized bag to carry all your stuff to and from the gym(and another tote bag for carrying your sweaty stuff back to the house for washing)To give as a giftAs a weekender bag for trips

Once you make and use your tote bag, you will want one for everything you do and​everywhere you go!

Here's a tutorial on a basic tote bag and a few variations to make a tote bag... YOURS

FABRICTote bags are great for using whatever fabric you have available in your sewing roomas all you need is a rectangle or square of fabric, matching or non matching fabricand enough fabric to make a couple of straps (or you can buy pre-fabricated 'webbing'')

Upholstery or Home Decor fabric, denim or twill are great to use for a tote bag as it makes the bag stiff enough to sit up on its own or you can use fusible interfacing to make the fabric stiff

Another interesting concept can be to upcycle something old into something new...like a pair of curtains, an old pair of jeans, or a skirt that you no longer wearand make them into a tote bag!I have seen a bag embellished with a man's ties ​there are lots of these ideas onlinewhatever you have and can re-use to salvage these items from the landfill!

Add a pocket or two, some straps and you have yourself a tote bag!

Measurements

Pieces required:1 rectangle for the main bag1 rectangle of contrast fabric for lining2 pieces for strapsPocket (optional)

The above is measured from the fold on the bottom to the top i.e. how tall the bag will be

If you have fabric that has 'nap' i.e. an obvious print, you need to make both pieces on each side with the design of the fabric facing the right way top to bottom so you can cut two piecesand join them at the bottom (in place of the fold) before beginning construction

Any adjustments that you make to the main fabric will also have to be​made exactly the same for the lining so the two pieces will fit perfectly when assembled and will look good when the bag is reversed

This is just a guideline of sizes as they will vary depending on the size of the bag you make and what that you prefer to customize your bag to!

Pocket Make a pocket that is the full width of the bag (and half of the measurement of the bag for height)OR a square of fabric Cut on the fold which is a rectangle which will be folded in half to make one pocket

Supplies Idea: If you make a lot of bags, to save yourself some time, it may be worth investing in a plastic ruler to cut and measure accurately and a plastic square to help with the boxed bottomsthese items are usually found with the quilting supplies of the fabric store or a craft store

The Basics

I like to make a lined bag which basically requires cutting and making 2 bags and attaching themThe straps can be made from either the main or lining fabric (or both) or from webbing that you can buy It may seem like double the work to line a bag but a lining may save a bit of time because you do not have to finish the raw edges and it provides a nice professional look to the completed project

​The bags described in this tutorial are reversibleIt's a fun trick to show off the bags by flipping them inside and out showing both pretty sides so you have 2 bags in one!Just wait for the 'oohs' and 'aahs'

The lining of the bag will face right side out when completed (looking at it when it's inside the bag)​so choose a nice fabric that contrasts well with the main fabricThe lining also makes the bag thicker so the bag can stand up on its own ​with the boxed corners​Using a steam iron will help your bag to have a more professional look when completed

Making the StrapsFold each raw edge toward the middle along the long side of the strap pieceThe fold is approx. 1/4 to 1/2 inchTip: leave a gap between the two raw edges in the middle so that when the strap is folded again, the two raw edges do not overlap and create bulk in the middle

​Pictured above: the 2 raw edge are folded and pressed toward the middle (top photo)​and the two edges and folded again in the middle (bottom photo)

Press with an ironSew each strap with a topstitch along the 'open' edge to close and finish​I usually sew along the other edge to make it even and keep it in placeTip: when topstitching, change the stitch length to a longer length (3.5)​Put the straps aside until later

Make a pocket (or 2)It is easier to sew on the pockets on the main (outer pocket) or lining (inner pocket)fabric BEFORE sewing the side seams together

Cut a rectangle of fabric on the foldWith right sides together sew around the 3 edges (not including the folded edge)leaving a 2 inch gapTurn the square right side out through the gapPress with your ironGently poke out the corners to make sure they are a pointed shape (being careful not to push too hard that it goes through the fabric)Use a pin to mark and close the gap

Pin the pocket to the bagStitch 3 of the 4 sides of the way around to attach it to the bagleaving the top open so you can add items to the pocketWhen stitching, ensure that the gap used for turning (where you marked with a pin)is stitched close enough to the edge of it to close it with the stitching​Press with an iron

​You can place a pocket on the inside and/or outside of your bag

Full width of the bag pocketCut the pocket fabric on a fold, sew it right sides togetherflip to right sides out - it will resemble a 'tube'Press with an ironMeasure the placement of the pocket to allow the bottom to be a couple of inches from the bottom of the cut squares of the boxed corners and at least 1.5 inches from the top of the bagPin and sew the BOTTOM only of the pocket to the bag leaving the top of the pocket open

The side seams of the pocket will be pinned to the bag and sewn at the same timeas sewing together the side seams of the main bag

It is recommended that you place a vertical line of stitching down the center of a large pocket when attaching it to the bag This will split the pocket into two separate pockets and ensure the pocket​does not 'gape' open ​

Below is a photo of the side to side pocket with a ​stitching line down the center of the pocket

Sew the side seams togetherRight sides together, sew the side seamsI use a 1/2 inch seamBe sure that if you added a pocket, that it is placed in the middleReminder: whatever size seam you sew on the main bag, the same must be done exactly to the lining

Boxing the cornersCut out a 2 inch square on the bottom fold i.e. the two bottom corners(see the photo below for placement)A 2 inch square will create a 4 inch bottom on your bag3 inch will give you a 6 inch bottom, etc.

Note: On the side side, line up your 2 inches to NOT include the side seam(i.e. it will be 2 1/2 inches for the side and 2 inches from the bottom foldso the opening to be created will be an even 2 inches)

​Do exactly the same on both main and lining fabric pieces when making a lined bagso they will match exactly when sewn together​

Tip: I measure and cut out the first square and use that piece of fabricto cut the other squares so they are all exactly the same

To make the 'box'

Fold and put a pin in the center of the bottom of the bag (the fold) to mark itPut your two fingers into the hole where you cut the square out on the bottom of the bagand spread your fingers to line up the side seam to the bottom​fold so that the line that you had previously marked with a pin lines up

Mark, Pin and then sew each of the corners with a small seam (1/4 inch) along the edge

Turn the bag right sides out Press with an ironEnsure the boxed edges are properly turned (to create a 'point')Assemble the lining of the bag in the exact same way

Attach the main and lining piecesRight sides together, place the lining bag piece inside the main bag piecelining up the two pieces at the side seams and boxed corners

TIp: place both your hands inside the bags and turn upside down​shake the bags around with your fingers into the corners ​until they are correctly lined up in the corners​Pin the two together at the top (raw edge)

Placement of the StrapsTo create alignment, place a pin in the middle (between the two side seams of the bags)place another set of pins an even space away from each side of the center pin(for a medium bag, approximately 3 - 4 inches on each side of the center pin)

Fold the strap in half and pin it on the main bagThe strap will be attached to the RIGHT side of each of the two fabricswith the raw side of the strap is facing up ​(see photo below for placement)

Take the 'alignment' pins out and replace with pins to hold the straps in their placeUse two pins for each strap (so the strap does not slide if only using one pin)

Note: make sure that the strap is 'straight' and not twisted i.e. that the topstitched seam of the strap is facing toward the sides not toward the middle

Check that the strap placement is in the same place on each side of the bag before sewing

Sew the two bags together at the topWhen attaching the main bag to the lining, make sure the everything lines up properly ​check the side seams and bottom boxed corners are in correct alignment to each other

Stitch around the top using a 1/2 seam ensuring thatboth the bag pieces are sewn togetherand the straps are sandwiched in between the two bagsLeave a 4 inch gap for turningBe sure to backstitch a couple of stitches at the start and end of the line of sewing

The gap should be in between the straps around the side seam(to ensure the straps are sewn in and not included ​in the gap area)Below is a photo showing where a gap has been created(the foot of the sewing machine is on the side seamdepending on the size of your bag, the side seam may be included in the gap)

Pull the bag through the gap so that both right sides will now be facing out Tuck the lining inside the bag and line everything up correctly​Press with an iron

Topstitch the topWhen sewing the top seam, mark the gap with a pin When stitching, make sure that you stitch close to the edge all the way aroundto ensure that the gap is closed

Great Job!You have completed your new tote bag

Photo Gallery

6 pocket large tote bag tutorial

DescriptionThe oversized bag with boxed bottom allows sufficient space as a weekender bag orto store gym stuff or I use mine as a fabric carrier tote

The large pocket piece is broken up by the straps which becomes 3 pocket on each side of the bagwhich makes it versatile for storage

The construction is very similiar to the basic bag with a few adjustmentsRead the basic bag construction tutorial first to get an idea of how the bag is made

Measurements and fabricMeasurements: 20-22 inches wide 18-20 inches height from top to bottom​ cut your fabric on the fold Fabric for strapspockets (optional)

The boxed bottom can be between 6-8 inches wide

Upholstery or home decor fabric is great for this large, heavy duty bag or use interfacing to strengthen the fabric

It is important to sew the pockets and straps on before sewing up the sides of the bag... much easier to construct while it is flat ...

There are 2 large pockets on this bag, one on each side (the full width from side to side seam)

Each pocket is made from one piece of fabric (on a fold)Sew a seam along the raw edge to join the fabric (making a 'tube')

Place approximately 8 - 10 inches from the top of the bag

To attach the pocket to the bag, stitch along the BOTTOM SEAM ONLY​ leaving the top of the pocket openThe straps will cover the pockets that turn one big pocket into 3 sectionsThe raw edge of the sides will be sewn when sewing the side seams later​

To measure the circular straps, add the height of the bag to the length of the strap you wish

Attach the raw edges together to make a super long, circular strapYou can use two long pieces for this long strap but if you do​place the seam at the bottom of the bag where it cannot be seen

Pin the circular straps in place ensuring that they are evenly spacedfrom each side of the side seams of the bagStraps are approximately 5 inches in from each side (on the bag shown)

The straps are stitched over top of the pockets which provides separation of the one big pocketwhich creates 3 separate pockets on each side (total of 6 pockets when finished)

If you choose to, you can add an 'x''to reinforce the strap where it meets the top of the bag as extra support

Sew the side seamsBox the cornersMake a liningAttach at the top​(use the main tutorial a a guideline on these steps)